Hollywood May Extend Shop Leases On Beach

HOLLYWOOD -- Merchants at the city-owned Hollywood Beach Casino Shopping Center hope to extend their leases through the summer.

The leases of two dozen shop owners and restaurateurs at the center, Johnson Street and State Road A1A, expire on May 31.

The Casino building, built in the 1940s, would be razed to make way for redevelopment under three out of four proposals being considered by the Economic Development Advisory Board.

Casino merchants submitted the fourth proposal, a $500,000 facelift. The other proposals include two for festival markets and one for a 12-story, 200- suite hotel.

Board members have set a May-15 deadline for further details on the proposals and plan to make a recommendation that month to city commissioners, who have the final say, chairman Albert Finch said.

City commissioners last Wednesday accepted a board recommendation to extend the lease to Casino center merchants for 90 days and to provide for monthly extensions if necessary after that date. The 90-day deadline is Aug. 31.

Commissioners authorized Deputy City Manager Bill Law to negotiate an agreement with the merchants` association secretary, Len Kelly. Commissioners will have final approval on terms of the extension.

Casino merchants this week will consider the terms of the extension, said Kelly, owner of Len Kelly`s Resortwear for 29 years.

City Commissioner Suzanne Gunzburger said the city should let merchants remain in business an extra week until Sept. 6, so they can benefit from the heavy business from crowds that pack the beach Labor Day weekend.

The merchants pay $19,893 in rent monthly to the city under the present lease. Law said the merchants asked the city to reduce the rent during the summer.

A break on the rent would help merchants as they reduce inventories and prepare to go out of business, Len Kelly, secretary of the merchants association said.

``There is no such thing as an inventory anymore,`` said Kelly. ``All you can do is sell down. You just sell whatever you`ve got.``